ABSTRACT
Your force will sometimes have a blitz on a particular crime such as car thefts or residential burglaries, and you may be asked to map these offences or provide other data to support the operation. But these categories are too broad for problem-oriented policing. They include too many different kinds of crimes, all of which need to be separately analysed. For example, 'car thefts' could include (in rough order of seriousness):
Stealing hubcaps tor resale or badges for collections.
Breaking into cars to steal items left inside.
Breaking into cars and stealing radios and other fittings.
Joyriding by juveniles.
Taking a car for temporary transport.
Stealing a car for use in another crime.
Stealing and keeping a car.
Stealing cars for 'chopping' and sale of their parts.
Stealing cars for resale.
Stealing cars for export overseas.
Car-jacking.
You can see these crimes are committed for a variety of motives, by different offenders, with varying degrees of organisation, knowledge and skills. Stealing hubcaps is the least difficult and daring and is committed by juvenile wanabees. Joyriding requires more courage and some basic knowledge about starting and driving cars. Stealing cars for export is a much more complicated crime requiring high levels of organisation, with many more stages and people involved. The offenders are as likely to be dishonest businessmen as career criminals. More ruthless, hardened criminals commit car-jackings.